Kässbohrer Outlook: Together to the Next 125 Years

Leading semi-trailer manufacturer Kässbohrer highlights ‘together to the next 125 years’ in 2022, underlining the importance of a wide ecosystem of innovation and partnerships to advance the trailer industry towards sustainability.

Continuing its sustained success achieved together with its customers, meeting their needs together with the focused localized organization all around Europe, competent R&D, ever-expanding after-sales network as well as finance solutions with leading leasing companies, throughout the year Kässbohrer proceeded with Enginuity to meet its customers’ unmet needs.

Kässbohrer launched new vehicles for city, general cargo, intermodal, construction, agriculture, and liquid transportation and won 2nd place at the Trailer Innovation 2023 Award in the category ‘Safety’. Kässbohrer also continued to digitalize its business operations.

“Continuing to be one of the top choices of the logistics sector”

Thanks to its engineering competence and customer-centric ingenuity Kässbohrer meets the needs of its customers in more than 55 countries while expertly supplying efficient, safe, high-quality, long-lasting, innovative vehicles to all logistics sectors, together with its strong local teams.

The leading semi-trailer Kässbohrer is among the overall Top 3 choices in the Netherlands and Sweden. Kässbohrer is among the top 3 in tank and silos in Germany. For heavy haulage, Kässbohrer is the market leader in low beds in Poland, among the Top 3 in France with Platforms. With its strong local organization, Kässbohrer is rapidly meeting its customers’ needs in Italy by doubling its sales and in Spain tripling its sales.

“Vehicle Launches continuously meeting the transformation of logistics industry”

Ms. Türken highlighted the innovative spirit of Kässbohrer with 18 new vehicles with over 50 innovations presented to the industry including 9 new vehicles presented during the IAA Transportation 2022 fair.

“Kässbohrer proudly presented its newest innovations for increasing efficiency in intermodal operations, liquid transportation as well as heavy haulage transportation, taking its customers’ operations to the next level. Kässbohrer while working for the needs of the future, continues to provide solutions for today’s need for transformation.

With Enginuity, Kässbohrer will keep developing new vehicles and services to meet the unmet needs of its customers as well as addressing sustainability goals.

“Continuing its Tradition, Kässbohrer is the proud winner of the Trailer Innovation Awards 2023”

Adhering to its motto „Enginuity”, the combination of “Engineering” and “Ingenuity”, Kässbohrer constantly invests in its competent R&D and engineer products and services to take its customers’ business to the next level together the next 125 years.

With its widest range of innovations, Kässbohrer has competently innovated in all categories of the most prestigious Trailer Innovation Awards, respectively; Body, Chassis, Components, Concept, Environment, Safety, and Smart Trailer, winning a total of 6 awards.

Continuing its tradition, in Trailer Innovation 2023 Awards, Kässbohrer won 2nd place in the category ‘Safety’ with its Integration Protection Device alongside its two nominations with its Augmented Proactive Driving Support in the category ‘Concept’, and 360 Degree Experience of Digital Twins in the category ‘Smart’.

“Kässbohrer invests further in services & digitalizes its spare parts operations”

Kässbohrer keeps investing and developing its services to meet the needs of its customers Europe-wide.

Kässbohrer after-sales services are audited competent service points, 97,6% of which can perform maintenance and repair work on all general cargo, bulk and liquid goods, intermodal as well as construction, and heavy haulage sectors. The network reached 668 competent service points in 2022.

In spare parts operations, Kässbohrer continues its infrastructure and digitalization investments. The main spare parts depot for Northern Europe, Goch has been expanded, serving 156.000 parts. As individual customer care is a priority at Kässbohrer, dedicated spare parts teams handle all requests making also use of updated EPC (Electronic Parts Catalog)

Ms. Türken highlights the developments of EPC ” Taking care of every request personally & digitally, Kässbohrer’s spare parts team improved its Electronic Parts Catalog with a total of 12 developments as feedback from its customers. Kässbohrer accordingly launched its new user-friendly interface in 2022. Together with the new personalized interface, the Goch, Ulm, and Lyon spare parts warehouses are seamlessly integrated, and our teams can fulfill our customers’ requests much more efficiently.

Kässbohrer’s K-Finance, providing competitive financing options on all its product ranges has developed in 2022 as well. Already existing collaboration with BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions in France and Spain has extended to Germany in 2022. Kässbohrer works with EFL in Poland and with Unicredit in Italy to present competitive financial solutions to its customers.

“Fully competent in all sustainability transformation needs and working together with all stakeholders”

İffet Türken further elaborates on the importance of more efficient and sustainable vehicles for the future: “As the transport sector welcomes the new European climate law, committed to at least 55% carbon emission reduction by 2030, an ambitious transition awaits our industry pending further legislation. In this time of transforming the transport business, Kässbohrer is equally competent in all technologies and vehicle developments to work with our customers for their unique need for transition.

Addressing multiple carbon emission-reducing solutions at the same time by working closely with our customers, stakeholders, associations, and universities in a wide ecosystem of innovation, Kässbohrer continues to develop, the next generation of higher capacity vehicles such as already on road  32m combinations in countries where the transport is permissible, as well as Super Eco Combi developments, innovation award nominee 14.98m curtainsider, it’s unrivaled intermodal range as well as investing further in smart technologies for future digital integration.”

Kässbohrer continues development of higher capacity vehicles, SEC Tested

As the transport sector welcomes the new European climate law, committed to at least 55% carbon emission reduction by 2030, an ambitious transition awaits our industry pending further legislation. In this time of transforming the transport business, Kässbohrer is equally competent in all technologies and vehicle developments to work with its customers for their unique need for transition.

Kässbohrer continues to advance higher-capacity vehicles. Kässbohrer engineered the high-capacity SEC (Super Eco Combi) with its long-time stakeholder Ewals as a commonly accepted, safe, sustainable, and efficient vehicle that helps the sector to meet its CO2 emission goals.

Since the beginning of the year, the SEC vehicle developed with Ewals has undergone many tests, including a test drive by Mark Harbers, the Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management. Another test day for the 32-meter-long SEC was held on the 29th of November in AMPT Maasvlakte, with a large number of officials from RDW, Rotterdam Port Authority, Rijkswaterstaat, TLN, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, and Rijkswaterstaat.

Kässbohrer’s 32m combination developed with Ewals presents Kässbohrer Mega Curtainsider K.SCS M with dynamic wheelbase and huckapack features.

During development, the turning radius in maneuvers needed to be developed. Thanks to Kässbohrer’s engineering excellence and experience in 32 m container chassis combinations that are specially developed for longer heavier vehicle permitting countries as well as the first dynamic wheelbase applied14.980 mm Trailer Innovation 2021 nominee vehicle K. SCS X+, Kässbohrer expertly applied the dynamic wheelbase to its Mega Curtainsiders forming the SEC and achieved the working turning radius.

Kässbohrer 32 m SEC presents the highest efficiency in terms of sustainability by higher capacity in terms of two vehicles, Mega upper structure For higher vehicle capacity as well as intermodality compatibility.

For intermodal transportation, the two huckepack Curtainsiders used on the SEC can be separately or as a combination with the dolly can be safely loaded to trains thanks to their S460 MC steel robust chassis, as well as its train loading brackets that are suitable for P400 classified e-f-g-i wagon types.

Additionally, with its 90 mm gooseneck height Kässbohrer K.SCS M Mega Curtainsiders offer 2.950 mm inner height. This way Kässbohrer K.SCS M Mega Curtainsiders enable the transportation of goods with higher volume, while also providing up to 40% fewer carbon emissions.

Kässbohrer Integration Protection Device wins 2nd place in Trailer Innovation 2023

Kässbohrer has proudly received the most prestigious Trailer Innovation Award 5 times in the past 3 consecutive terms. Continuing its tradition, in Trailer Innovation 2023 Awards, Kässbohrer won 2nd place in the category ‘Safety’ with its Integration Protection Device.

Kässbohrer analyzing TAPA’s risk of theft in international freight transportation, irregular migration, and human trafficking data and conducting field intelligence based on interviews with companies of various sizes, associations, and general stakeholders has developed an in-house safety notification system ‘Integrity Protection Device’, for the inner area specified detection and immediate notification of unauthorized entries to the trailer by any means, a low-cost practical device with 2 years battery life that can be installed on any trailer in aftersales workshops within the hour.

Kässbohrer’s patented Integrity Protection Device detects any unauthorized entry from the side, roof, floor, or door as soon as the interior space integrity is breached.  Integrity Protection Device notifies the location of the exact breach point and inner area to as many designated groups as necessary via SMS,  emails, and its optional web portal while at the same time sounding audio and visual alarms.

Kässbohrer conducted extensive R&D tests and confirmed with international transport companies’ road tests to confirm the functionality of the Integrity Protection Device in any environmental conditions such as dust resistance, water seal, electrical noise or vibration, and extreme temperature conditions from  +70 degrees to -20 degrees.

‘Integrity Protection Device’ contrasts the already in market expensive, hard to maintain, complicated, and new trailer installation requiring alternatives that are often economically not feasible for transport companies to use and solves the problem of theft and unauthorized passengers, as well as conventional solution systems’ problems.

In the ‘Safety’ category, Kässbohrer previously won the Trailer Innovation 2017 Awards with Safety Bitumen Tanker and was nominated with K.SSK Safety Tipping Silo with Smart Control

Van Eck is the proud winner of the Trailer Innovation 2023 Awards

The leading innovative transport solutions provider Van Eck has proudly won 1st place of the Trailer Innovation Awards 2023 in the category ‘Component’ with its in-house developed Container Locker System for the safe and secure transportation of roll containers, most efficiently and sustainably transported with Van Eck’s signature Twindeck vehicles, the innovation award winner in 2005

Transport of goods in roll containers is an efficient method used in the Benelux region and DACH region for a variety of goods such as postal services, laundries, retail, and flower transportation. Roll containers are loaded in all types of box trailers as well as Van Eck signature Twindeck trailers that present %60 more loading capacity.

As Van Eck prioritizes not only manufacturing the highest quality long-lasting and least carbon footprint solutions for their customers’ unique transport challenges, it equally develops systems for safe and efficient loading and unloading of goods as well as safety of the cargo.

During operations, the ideal loading of roll containers would fill up the trailer entirely with load securing via security bars at the end of trailers. As operations may require partial flexible loading, built-in load securing mechanisms would fail short to provide security.

When partially loaded roll containers are not secured and move freely within the trailer knocking on each other and side panels, they damage goods loaded in the roll containers, damage the side walls without risk to road safety, they damage the roll containers themselves.

Van Eck Container Locker System is a light, long-lasting practical solution that accommodated all variations of partial loading of load containers and does not require training or extensive experience to operate.

The Container Locker System is made of light and durable aluminum, and has 800 mm in length and 100 mm x 100 mm (width x depth), and weighs 3 kg each. The Container Locker System consists of 2 units of telescopic rods, in combination with a square beam that secures the roll container blocks by less than 10. The maximum amount of roll containers for a box trailer is 44. Van Eck’s Container Locker System works even for 43 roll containers.

Talson excels at Safety Features

Keeping on bettering the best box ever conceived with patented trailer body solutions and works, Talson, in harmony with associations like TAPA and regulators addresses the sector’s problems.

In 2019, Talson has taken 3rd place in Trailer Innovation 2019 “Concept” category with its innovation, Talson Secure Box, which was engineered to prevent valuable cargo theft with enhancements and special modifications on the self-supporting aluminum upper body structure.

Since 2019, Talson furthered its safety innovations, furthering on TAPA requirements and developed its Safest Trailer Ever that guarantees unbreachable body construction, immediate and wholistic notification, protection from the theft of the entire trailer, and unauthorized trailer access.

For the Safest Trailer Ever, Talson has cooperated exclusively with Avertic Armour to create the unbreachable body construction. Made of aluminum sandwich panel design, Talson panels and roof are already the hardest to penetrate from the outside. Integration Avertic Armour’s patented paneling seamlessly to its sandwich panels, the Talson body is now 100% impenetrable even by automatic construction tools such as electric saws, mechanical saws, and any piercing tools.

Talson has also seamlessly integrated alarm wiring and sensors to the entire vehicle including the chassis, that trigger the loud alarm and notifies the predetermined people and institutions via mail and SMS at the first instant of attempted physical penetration.

Talson integrated its long-term trusted stakeholder SBS’s latest, state-of-the- art electronic lock system into The Safest Trailer Ever. The SBS electronic lock prevents not only unauthorized access to the trailer but also blocks the trailer to be accessed in any location other than the designated areas that the logistcis company has initally authorized.

By integrating the king-pin electronic safe connect solution; Talson prevents any truck other than the predefined authorized truck from coupling hence preventing the theft of the trailer.

The Safest Trailer Ever is also equipped with security cameras recording inside and outside of the trailer to be used by companies as well as law enforcement in case of any need.

Kässbohrer 14.98m Curtainsider with Dynamic wheel base nominated Trailer Innovation Awards 2021

Kässbohrer  is nominated in Trailer Innovation 2021 in the category “Concept”.  Nominee innovation,  Kässbohrer Curtainsider K.SCX L with Dynamic Wheelbase for 14.980 mm length is making difference with its optimal wheelbase chassis design for uniform and safe load distribution leading to road safety and its innovative system integration with control systems for ability to turn on EU standard road curves and is the first of its kind solution.

Kässbohrer’s  K.SCX L with dynamic wheelbase for 14.980 mm length is nomited because of its optimal wheelbase chassis design for uniform and safe load distribution leading to road safety and its innovative system integration with control systems for ability to turn safely on EU standard road curves. The ability to turn safely EU standard road curves with 12.50 m outside 5.30 m inside dimensions with the newly legislated 14.98 m vehicles is a first of its kind solution.

Since 1990[1], the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s report EU has been committing to the reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG). Reduction of GHG targets and action plans have evolved with the 1997 Kyoto Protocol and 2015 Paris Climate Agreement resulting in The European Green deal and the subsequent proposal of changes to the existing EU Climate Law to enshrine the target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 into law on March 4th, 2020. The law states revised carbon emissions targets for 2030 of 50-55% cut on GHG and a road map to 2050 net carbon emissions target.[2] GHG emissions from road transport of heavy duty vehicles account for 6% annual carbon emissions of the EU.[3] As a responsible industry, all stakeholders have been developing environmentally friendly solutions for years, including longer trailers or trailer combinations with higher load capacity to minimize carbon emission per ton of load transported.

With the use of longer vehicles up to 31,50 m, efficiency gains, and fuel savings of 25%[4] can be achieved making longer trailer combinations a key solution item as the industry is endeavoring to meet the carbon emissions targets. However, this immediate solution has challenges in terms of trailer technology and limitations in terms of the existing national and international road infrastructure due to the infrastructure’s inability to accommodate longer road vehicles[5]. Within this perspective 14.98 m vehicles have been authorized in Germany by the Federal Ministry of traffic and digital infrastructure on 19th September 2019 with a list of permissible motorways, federal roads, and district roads that these vehicles can use detailed to the street by the district[6]

European Commission and civil bodies are detailing road safety as key issues to be addressed with the society’s transition to longer heavy haulage vehicles.[7]

Kässbohrer 14.98 m curtainsider with dynamic wheelbase design addresses fully both road safety and the limitations of current infrastructure


[1] https://climatepolicyinfohub.eu/european-climate-policy-history-and-state-play

[2] https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/european-green-deal-communication-annex-roadmap_en.pdf https://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/eu-climate-action/law_en

[3]https://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/transport/vehicles/heavy_en#:~:text=Lorries%2C%20buses%20and%20coaches%20are,to%20increasing%20road%20freight%20traffic. 

[4] VDA Verband Der Automobilindustrie Report, ‘’Lang-Lkw in Deutschland und Europa –aktueller Stand und weiteres Vorgehen’’ September 2019

[5] https://www.bast.de/BASt_2017/DE/Verkehrstechnik/Fachthemen/v1-lang-lkw/lang-lkw_node.html

[6]https://www.bundesanzeiger.de/ebanzwww/wexsservlet?session.sessionid=9a1857cb9c679d0e02a730f7a6a49e03&page.navid=detailsearchlisttodetailsearchdetail&fts_search_list.selected=29c884fa26569684&fts_search_list.destHistoryId=99380

[7] https://www.eaclubs.org/road-safety-and-96-53-ec

Trailer Innovation 2021 3rd Place Van Eck Smart rollerbed with NMLU

Expert trailer manufacturer Van Eck has taken the 3rd place at Trailer Innovation 2021 Award category “Environment” with the innovation Smart Rollerbed Vehicles with NMLU (New Modular Loading Unit).

Van Eck is the only trailer manufacturer to design and produce its own rollerbeds. Since 1983 Van Eck has been expertly producing rollerbed box and curtainsider vehicles, that are of the highest quality, impeccably designed and manufactured to function with precision, presenting unparalleled operational efficiencies in air cargo business and in special general cargo applications. Van Eck also has the expertise to transform any trailer into a rollerbed vehicle with rollerbed platfom vehicles custom-built for special uses.

Taking its inspiration from air cargo like loading and unloading efficiencies as well as packing standardization and warehouse management ease of use, Van Eck expert team had been working in European commission backed Horizon 2020 project developing smart loading units namely NMLU – new modular loading unit to streamline all general cargo packing loading, unloading and documentation process like the air cargo business.

Smart rollerbed vehicles with NMLU are a new concept and have the vision to transform the logistics system with fast automated loading and securing of cargo. Next to those operations, smart rollerbed vehicles with NMLU also provide betterment directly in warehousing operations and at large in railway, ferry and aircargo operations. The practicality and safety side of this concept addresses health and safety issues during loading operations, including COVID risk.

For NMLU’s to present the efficiencies, calculated to be %20 loading capacity increase, and overall system efficiency of 50%, the trailers that will work with NMLU’s need to have rollerbed systems. The quality of rollerbeds, as well as the trailers, the precision fitting and durability under all conditions of use guarantee the success of the overall NMLU enabled system. All these qualities are presented in Van Eck box, curtainsider, and recently developed rollerbed 45ft containers focusing on the efficiencies that can be quickly generated in intermodal transport. As intermodal transport is the most similar to air cargo logistics systems among other general cargo logistics and warehousing, it is envisioned intermodal logistics with central hubs of train stations and ferry docks would be the starting point to implement the NMLU system transformation. Recently developed Van Eck rollerbed 45ft container is the first step in general implementation and initial commercialization of the project.

Smart rollerbed vehicles with NMLU’s load capacity efficiencies not only contribute to lowering the CO2 emission but also reduces waste to further contribute to sustainability by eliminating the need for plastic and box packaging.

As the expert manufacturer in producing precision and high-quality trailers fitted with its in-house design and manufacture rollerbed, Van Eck has taken the first steps to transform the general cargo operations ecosystem by providing the most efficient high quality and durable rollerbed vehicles that can seamlessly work with NMLU’s to the market. Van Eck is proud to continue to support this eco-friendly system beyond initial innovation to full commercialization.

Kässbohrer wins 2021 Innovation Award with RUPD-5K1

Announced online on October 1st, Kässbohrer proudly is the winner in the category “Component” with its Multifunctional rear underrun protection device RUPD-5K1.

Kässbohrer’s multifunctional rear underrun protection device RUPD-5K1’s presents  secure, foldable design. RUPD-5K1 can be adjusted at different up and down positions while fulfilling its protection task for semi-trailer as a rear bumper in accordance with the ECE.R58.003 Regulation for the Type Approval and providing solutions to operational efficiency preventing docking, ferry, intermodal, discharge and tyre change problems.

While eliminating the operational inefficiency problems, Kässbohrer’s new multifunctional rear under run protection device (RUPD-5K1) also fulfills the need for installation of extra equipment such as landing gear saving from trailer extra weight as well as extra equipment costs.

Patent-pending, new ECE.R58.003 compliant RUPD-5K1 has the following technical spects: The preferred constructs of the product – developed for preventing the elastic and possibly plastic deformations of the chassis by enabling the rear protection equipment (bumper) to extend and fold – are explained only to help the comprehensibility of the subject and in a way not to create a restrictive effect.

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Trailer Innovation Award 2021 2nd Place, K-ADAS right direction towards autonomous driving

Kässbohrer has taken the second place in Trailer Innovatıon Awards 2021, the category ‘Smart Trailer’ with K-ADAS, Kässbohrer Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. 

Kässbohrer’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (K-ADAS) has taken the second place in the “Smart Trailer” category. K-ADAS makes difference with its 4 features composed of 7 technologies of which more than 50% is new to the trailer industry and are compatible with existing truck ADAS systems, contributing to the development of the smart trailer that will be necessary when fully autonomous driving becomes standard

Kässbohrer Advanced Driver Assistance Systems’s  2 out of total 4 features and the 5 out of total 7 technology behind them have never been used on trailers.  K-ADAS’s 2 features that are readily used in the trailers are augmentation of the existing technology. While K-ADAS’s 3 features are used in trucks hence making it compatible with all makes of trucks and their systems, 1 feature that is new can easily be integrated into existing systems. Kässbohrer Advanced Driver Assistance Systems has the following 4 features: Park Assist with reverse parking technology ( not used in trailers,  featuring not used in trucks technology and augmentation on existing park assists), Blind spot detection and brake with night support ( augmentation on both trailer and truck systems with night vision a novelty for trailers), Overtaking Assistance ( novel to trailers and could be categorized novelty for trucks) and 360 degree view ( augmentation on both trailer and truck systems). The hardware employed in K-ADAS is optimally placed cameras, various sensors including radars while the software for precise measurement and novel driver assist and instruction systems via user friendly in- cabin screen is developed by Kässbohrer. Kässbohrer Advanced Driver Assistance Systems with its design and software are patented in their entirety apart from 360 and blind spot detection, their augmentation not constituting a patent earning difference.

The first and only 45 ft. Coil Swap Body K.SWAU CC wins 2dn place Trailer Innovation Awards 2021

Announced online on October 1st, Kässbohrer has proudly taken the second place in the category “Body” with first and only 45 ft. Coil Swap Body K.SWAU CC.

K.SWAU CC presents an integrated coil well and is developed for intermodal coil transport all made possible by its innovative chassis design with total capacity of 30 tons. The tests performed during the development have proven safer swap designs and resulting design changes are now the technical requirements for UIC 592/IRS 50592 and IRS 50596-5 certification mandatory for all swap bodies.

Kaessbohrer 45ft swap body with integrated coil well  K.SWAU.CC / 45  is the first ever and only 45ft coil swap vehicle and only certified 45 ft swap body for intermodal coil transport. K.SWAU.CC/45’s  especially designed patented chassis guarantees structural integrity and is safe for transport of from 900mm to 2000mm diameter coils with total capacity of 30 tons.

Up until K.SWAU.CC/45, coil transport via swap bodies was realized by general cargo swaps leading to accidents due to structural failure. K.SWAU.CC/45’s main development purpose was to overcome these safety issues.  During its development to the highest safety standards, K.SWAU.CC/45 not only became the one and only coil certified swap body with UIC 592/IRS 50592 by International Railway solution ( IRS); the design changes as the result of the safety test performed are now part of the technical requirements for UIC 592/IRS 50592 and IRS 50596-5 certification and binds any new swap body to be produced.

K.SWAU.CC / 45 is 4500 kg, its specially designed coil wells, presents the maximum coil weight capacity of 30 tons in the market and can accommodate all general cargo needs via floor transformation by coil lids  with  7.2 tons forklift  axle  capacity floor and Code XL certifications.

K.SWAU.CC / 45 is the first and only 45ft swap body certified for coil transportation and has changed the technical requirements to make intermodal transport safer for all.